BSC January Activities Report

Campus Activities

Served as a host site for the WVNET Winternet Tour, two days of free workshops for staff and area residents designed to help them "navigate the information superhighway and develop dynamic Web pages

Hosted a financial aid workshop for prospective college students and their families

Prepared for and promoted a variety of Black History Month activities to take place at Bluefield State College during February

Proceeded with several campus improvement projects, including excavation preceding the construction of an elevator that will bring Conley Hall, the College's administrative building, into compliance with ADA regulations

Directed three workshops, through Student Support Services, designed to enhance students' study skills

Implemented "Weekend College," and an expanded offering of Instructional Television courses for this semester

Released Fall Semester Dean's and President's Lists, with 280 students earning Dean's List recognition and 115 meriting inclusion in the President's List

Partnership Activities

Welcomed William B. Bales, Senior Vice President International, Norfolk Southern Corporation, as the first participant in BSC's "Executive In Residence" program. He addressed BSC Business Division students and faculty during his two-day visit

Hosted, in BSC President's home, a reception during which area business and industry leaders met William B. Bales

BSC faculty member received notification that the French National Research Center of Prehistory has adopted his explanation of the calendar system used by the early Celts in France

BSC Director of Institutional Advancement and Planning began her term as CEO of the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce

BSC-TV 10, the television production and programming component of BSC, rebroadcast on the Bluefield area television cable system two Bluefield City Board of Directors meetings and the December monthly Mercer County Board of Education meeting

BSC President presented a program regarding the College to the Princeton Kiwanis Club

BSC Title III Program Director was featured speaker at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Luncheon in Richlands, VA

Nursing faculty member participated in 1997 Nursing Education national conference in Orlando, FL

Completed a customized Microsoft Excel program for six employees of Pemco, Inc. This follows a customized Microsoft Word program for Pemco last semester and precedes a final program to include customized training on desktop publishing

Began a customized training program on Microsoft Office for employees of First Century Bank in Bluefield, WV. Program will continue through 1997 with more than 50 employees to participate

Completed first review by Turner Vision (Bluefield, WV) management of compensable factors identified for the company. This is part of project to develop compensation system for the company, whose workforce has grown from 50 to more than 500 during the past three years. Project is funded through the Governor's Guaranteed Workforce Program

Screening BSC Engineering Technology and Business Administration students for internship with BF Goodrich Aerospace in Union, WV. Currently one BSC intern is assisting the plant in producing detailed work instructions for its product line, and the company has requested additional assistance

Completed initial meeting with President of DS Parts, in Bluefield, WV, to coordinate completion of an organized diagnostic- needs assessment to serve as a part of the company's application for support from the Governor's Guaranteed Workforce Program. The company, a remanufacturer of auto parts, plans to hire about 20 new employees in the next year'. Training initiatives are geared to support this and any future growth

Preparing to host "Is Training The Solution?", a free seminar that is the initial program sponsored by the WV Region 7 Training Network

Conducted a seminar (open to the public), "The Joy of Herbs," through BSC's Creative Retirement Center

BSC's Center for International Understanding (CIU) has continued preparation for a training program on Fiscal Federalism for two groups of Bosnian officials from March through May, 1997

BSC CIU is preparing a brochure outlining CIU capabilities for Customized Training Programs for international entrepreneurs and officials

BSC CIU Customized Technical Assistance Training Programs for the United States Information Agency include preparation for three training programs, showcasing American business practices, local governance, and the legal profession & the administration of justice in Appalachia

CIU is preparing capability statement for inclusion in an application for membership in the National Council of International Visitors, a liaison organization for the USIA

CIU is preparing three brochures ("Center for International Understanding"," International Trade and Investment," and "Export Assistance Services") for circulation

Have scheduled the following continuing educations for Bluefield, Beckley, and Lewisburg: Fundamentals of Programmable Logic Controllers, Analysis of the National Electric Code, Shop-Floor Mathematics; Blueprint Reading; Engineering Economics; and Business Communications

Initiated review of technology and training materials that will be part of a "Workforce Development Center" at BSC. The center will be run in partnership with the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce, and will provide a wide range of performance improvement programs and resources for employees of business & industry

Coordinating an informational seminar on the WV Small Business Workforce Program, in partnership with the Economic Development Division of the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce. The seminar will introduce small businesses to this new workforce training program and assist them in accessing its services

Participated in a partnership effort with the Governor's Guaranteed Workforce Program, Industrial Plating and Machinery of Princeton, WV, the Mercer County Technical Education Center, the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and Development, and the Robert C. Byrd Institute to improve efforts and programs to develop qualified employees for manufacturing firms

Took part in a taskforce focused upon stimulating economic development by attracting retirees to relocate to this region. Partners in this effort include the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce, Princeton/Mercer County Chamber of Commerce, Tazewell County (VA) Chamber of Commerce, First Century Bank of Bluefield, Premier Bank, Adventure Communications, and Glenwood Park Retirement Village

Began researching the demand for a certificate program for "Gerontological Care-Giving." Needs assessment with health care professionals is being prepared, and focus groups will also be used to develop program if data supports the existence of a job market for graduates of such a program

Met with officials of WV State College to discuss opportunities for partnering on various academic, economic development, and workforce development programs